Tag Archives: Smart

Play It Smart When It Comes to Lightning

March 24, 2013   Drug News

SUNDAY March 24, 2013 — Lightning safety is an important issue for people who enjoy outdoor recreational and sports activities, according to the National Athletic Trainer’s Association.

During the past decade, lightning caused an average of 42 deaths a year in the United States and about 10 times as many injuries.

In 2010, outdoor recreational activities and organized sports accounted for 62 percent of lightning-related deaths, according to the National Weather Service. In 2011, those activities accounted for 48 percent of lightning-related deaths.

The National Athletic Trainer’s Association has released a position statement that outlines ways to reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by lightning strikes. It appears in the March issue of the Journal of Athletic Training.

“All individuals, particularly those who are in charge of sports and recreational activities, should be aware of the hazards, establish and follow appropriate guidelines, and ensure that those around them do so,” statement writing group chairwoman Katie Walsh, of East Carolina University, said in an association news release. “Proper preparation and notifying participants of lightning danger is critical.”

Coaches, athletic trainers, parents, administrators and others involved in outdoor athletic or recreational activities are urged to follow these lightning safety policies:

  • Create a lightning-specific emergency plan for each outdoor location.
  • Ensure lightning and general weather awareness.
  • Prepare planning protocols for large venues.
  • Be equipped and prepared to provide first aid.

Anyone involved in an outdoor activity should be aware that safety comes first and that there are no penalties or repercussions if they feel there is a danger of lightning and want to find a safe location, Walsh said.

The threat of thunderstorms and lighting is particularly high from afternoon to early evening between late spring and early fall, which is when 90 percent of casualties occur, according to the news release. July is the most dangerous month.

More information

For more on lightning safety, visit the U.S. National Weather Service.

Posted: March 2013

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Kettlebells: A Smart Replacement for Dumbbells

March 11, 2013   Health

By Lynne Anderson
WebMD Feature

Kettlebell workouts are a way to build muscle strength and endurance. They got their start in Russia and are everywhere now. 

If you’re thinking about trying them, you should know these three things:

  1. Technique matters. Think about swinging around a gallon of milk — the same weight as a beginner kettlebell — for 30 minutes, or slinging around a 25-pound bag of potting soil and you get the picture: To avoid injury, you need to know what you’re doing and use good form.
  2. Work with a trainer. They can help you learn how much weight you can use and how to use your kettlebell. “Make sure you use a certified kettlebells instructor,” says Laura Alton, a trainer, physical therapist, and Russian kettlebells certified instructor at the Cooper Fitness Center in Dallas.
  3. Look for a smooth handle. Your kettlebell should have a smooth handle. “Your hand can get pretty roughed up by one that’s not smooth,” Alton says. Ask your instructor how heavy your kettlebell should be. If you’re buying kettlebells, some people like to buy them in sets of three because with work, it won’t be long until you are moving up to the next weight.

The Kettlebells Difference

What makes a kettlebell workout different from other weights workouts? 

For starters, you work with only one kettlebell at a time. Hoisting the heavy metal bells not only helps strengthen your arms and pecs, but also works your core, heart, and lungs.

“The reason the kettlebell is so great is that there’s offset center of gravity,” Alton says.

That means your body has to work harder to maintain balance. In doing so, you work many different muscle groups and get your heart rate up at the same time.

“It’s a two-fer; it’s like you’re killing two birds with one kettlebell,” says Riva Rahl, MD, medical director for wellness programs at the Cooper Fitness Center. “If you’re doing it appropriately, the benefits are huge.”

WebMD Health

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Sony’s Smart Wireless Headset pro combines MP3 player and wireless headset dongle

June 30, 2012   MP3 News

By: Andreas Ødegård on June 30, 2012 1:07 pm

Sony is one of the few companies still in the MP3 player game, and it’s trying its best to keep that part of the business afloat. With smartphones and tablets becoming more and more popular, making MP3 players into mobile device accessories might be the only way to save the product category in the years to come. That’s the idea behind the Smart Wireless Headset pro as well, and it bridges the two categories in a new and at least somewhat interesting way.

The Smart Wireless Headset pro is essentially an advanced Bluetooth A2DP adapter merged with an MP3 player. On its own it’s an 18 gram MP3 player that plays music off a microSDHC card for about 12 hours before the black and white OLED display goes dark. When connected to a Bluetooth device it’s a wireless dongle that allows you to cut at least part of the cord between your device and headphones. When connected to an Android device, it also gains a nifty SMS/email notification system on the built-in display and via text-to-speech. Finally, there’s an FM radio.

This is definitely a hybrid device, and by that I mean that its selling point is its ability to do several things, rather than do one thing well. There’s no mention of aptX codec support for the Bluetooth stream, which means it falls short of some other Bluetooth adapters for that functionality. MP3 and Wav as the only supported music formats, along with a ton of other missing MP3 player features, also makes this a poor straight out substitute for something like the Sansa Clip line. Finally, SMS and email notifications in the age of smart watches like the Pebble is a novelty at best.

Perhaps the biggest nail in this device’s coffin however is the price. $ 129 for a hybrid device really stretches things when you can get a Clip Zip, Jabra Clipper, and $ 56 towards a Pebble for the price of this jack of all trades, master of none. I think $ 59 or $ 69 is the absolute max that Sony should charge for something like this, and instead it’s charging those two prices combined. That’s Sony for your though, constantly coming up with at least half decent ideas whose obvious shortcomings are less of an issue than the Apple-esque price.

[Sony via Engadget]

Anything But iPod

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Get Smart Challenge: World Records-Gadgets

March 20, 2012   HowStuffWorks

In the hypercompetitive world of gadgets, someone is always coming out with the smallest this and the fastest that. So we all know that world records in this category can be fleeting. The tiniest cell phone of 2000, once so amazing, now looks like it could have belonged to Godzilla. But take your best stab at these gadget records — just pretend you don’t know about the next new penknife with 389 functions.

Earn a point for every right answer! Save your score at the end of the quiz.

HowStuffWorks Daily Feed

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Get Smart Challenge: Oh My Gosh, an Orgasm Quiz!

March 11, 2012   HowStuffWorks

Oh, oh, it’s magic. Yes, we’re talking about orgasms, those physiological fireworks that erupt at the heights of sexual ectasy. But orgasms are also like snowflakes — each one is a little bit different for different people. Test your knowhow of the Big O with this blizzard of facts about how the ultimate pleasurable sensation works in the human body.

Earn a point for every right answer! Save your score at the end of the quiz.

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